HEADMASTER’S STAND

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 65, 20 December 1946, Page 5

HEADMASTER’S STAND

REFUSAL TO ATTEND MEETINGS

SCHOOL COMMITTEE’S DECISION

At the last meeting of the Whakatane School Committee, which took place on Wednesday evening, the absence of the Headmaster (Mr I. B. Hubbard) was commented upon by the Chairman (Mr J. W. Wilson), who stated that the Head had made a decision not to attend that meeting, and would also probably not be present for future ones. The Headmaster had made certain accusations concerning him (the Chairman) to the Secretary, and he felt that these should be explained, in that the committee should realise fully what the Head’s attitude was.

It was regrettable, continued the • Chairman, that the Head should have taken such a stand. He him--self, had been in communication with the Education Board, the Secretary of which had asked him to -convey to the Headmaster a strong recommendation that he should attend the. meeting. The Head had, however, refused. There was also -some question concerning a holiday which the committee had been re--quested to grant last Monday, and which had been refused.

7 The meeting then went into committee, the following resolution being later handed to the press:—. “That this committee considered ;■ it had no right to sanction a holi'day, as, according to the by-law governing the matter, there was no justification for such. The Board had -assured the committee that its decision in this respect was justifiable, ■and was. fully covered by the bylaw, which stated as follows: ‘ln - addition to the statutory school holidays, three ‘special’ holidays ~ may be granted at the discretion of the School Committee for the celebration of general or local events, or for school sports or excursions. No holidays other «- than those mentioned will be permitted except with the special sanction of the Board.’